Large volumes of imported engineered wood products still entering the United States \u2014 including OSB and cross\u2011laminated timber panels used in data centres, mid\u2011rise and high\u2011rise plyscrapers \u2014 will now be subjected to 15% tariffs again as the Trump administration prepares to introduce never\u2011before\u2011used tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 from tonight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Running for 150 days from February 24, and capable of being rolled over if Congress permits an extension, the new tariffs authorise the president to impose an import surcharge of up to 15% in cases involving a \u201clarge and serious balance\u2011of\u2011payments deficit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the proclamation released by the White House<\/a>, the new tariff will not be stacked on top of existing duties \u2014 meaning that lumber, currently subject to a 10% global tariff under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, will be exempt from the surcharge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHowever, other building materials not already covered by a preexisting tariff could now face the 15 per cent surcharge,\u201d according to a report from HSB Dealer. <\/a>\u201c(And) that means imported engineered wood products \u2014 including Oriented Strand Board (OSB), Cross\u2011Laminated Timber (CLT), and related products \u2014 may be subject to the new duty, with an exclusion for USMCA\u2011compliant imports from Canada and Mexico,\u201d it warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n